Research PubMed

Search PubMed via NCBI E-utilities and return article metadata with PMIDs.

Updated Apr 7, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/lgili/skillex --skill research-pubmed
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: Research PubMed
Source: https://github.com/lgili/skillex/tree/main/skills/research-pubmed
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/lgili/skillex --skill research-pubmed

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Quickly locate peer-reviewed biomedical literature by querying PubMed via the free NCBI E-utilities API without requiring an API key, returning titles, authors, journals, abstracts, DOIs, and PMIDs.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Full-text search across titles, abstracts, MeSH terms, and author names.
  • Structured query syntax support for precise filtering (MeSH terms, publication types, date ranges).
  • Batch fetch and retrieval of article metadata, with related articles via ELink for expanded literature reviews.
  • Use Case: Assemble evidence for a systematic review or literature background for a grant proposal.

Quick Start

Ask me to search PubMed for a topic and retrieve a list of matching articles with titles and PMIDs.

Frequently Asked Questions about Research PubMed

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I search PubMed for biomedical literature without an API key?

You can search PubMed for biomedical literature by querying the free NCBI E-utilities API, which retrieves article titles, authors, journals, abstracts, DOIs, and PMIDs without requiring an API key.

Can I use MeSH terms and structured query syntax to filter clinical research articles?

Yes, you can use MeSH terms and structured query syntax to filter clinical research articles on PubMed, applying precise filtering by publication types, date ranges, and specific medical subject headings.

What's the best way to retrieve abstracts and PMIDs for a systematic literature review?

The best way to retrieve abstracts and PMIDs for a systematic literature review is using batch fetch retrieval against the NCBI E-utilities API, which returns structured, machine-readable results with URLs for reproducibility.

Does the NCBI E-utilities API enforce rate limits when doing batch PubMed searches?

Yes, the NCBI E-utilities API enforces rate limits during batch PubMed searches to regulate request frequency and ensure automated literature retrieval remains stable without exceeding usage thresholds.

How do I find related biomedical articles to expand a literature search?

You can find related biomedical articles to expand a literature search by using the ELink feature, which retrieves connected articles from the NCBI database to support comprehensive evidence gathering and reviews.